


Fake Couple

by f1championship



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: M/M, Reality TV, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-08-08 03:33:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7741789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/f1championship/pseuds/f1championship
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Paul and Nico were both selected to take part of a reality game show. It will completely changed their lives!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fake Couple

**Author's Note:**

  * For [whisper_roar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whisper_roar/gifts).



Nico was lying on the sofa, watching TV while eating an alarming amount of junk food. It was a lazy Sunday, and he was enjoying having nothing to do. He worked in a restaurant, as a waiter, so it was nice to have a relaxing day.

During the commercials, he saw that a reality game show, _Secrets & Lies_, was looking for contestants, and he decided to sign up, thinking that it would be a laugh, but he didn’t really expect to be chosen. He knew the type of people they normally picked, and it wasn’t quiet guys who wore thick glasses.

A few days later, while he was at work, Nico received a message which said that he had been selected to be part of the show, and that he had to be free at the beginning of July.

“July’s our busiest time,” he mumbled to himself, “I’m going to have to work a lot of extra shifts.”

 

                                                                                                                                *******

 

Paul was running through the forest, listening to his favourite music, when he received a message from an unknown number.

 _Congratulations Paul, you had been selected to take part in our brand new reality show_ Secrets & Lies _…_

Paul continued reading and he wondered if they had got the wrong number, but the fact that it had his name on it made him feel uneasy.

It didn’t make sense, he tried to think of anything he might have signed up for lately that would also have included this, but nothing came to mind. He was always very particular about reading the terms and conditions for websites and other services, for this exact reason.

He sipped at his water, and with that he was running back to his flat. Paul hoped that his roommate, Charles, would be home, because he had a sinking feeling as to who might have signed him up for this.

“So, how was your run?” Charles asked, his eyes following Paul as he wandered through to the kitchen to get a drink.

“Interesting. I found out that I’ve been selected to take part in a reality TV show, called _Secrets & Lies_. Do you know anything about it?” Paul said, his tone was sarcastic, and he saw Charles spitting out his drink.

“You were selected?” Charles asked, his eyes focused on the floor as Paul glared at him.

“Yes. What the fuck did you do that for?”

“For fun. I never thought you would be selected…” Charles couldn’t keep the smile off his face and Paul stared at him, waiting for him to speak. “Did they ask you what your secret would be?”

“What secret?” Paul asked, he was clearly lost, he had never been interested in reality TV shows.

“The game is simple. You go and live in a house, full of people you don’t know, and everyone has a secret. Your goal is to keep it until the end, while you try and discover other people’s secrets, in order to win money.”

“I didn’t read all of the stuff that they sent me.”

“So did you say yes? Are you going to take part?” Charles asked, and Paul nodded, seeing the way Charles’ eyes had lit up at the idea of it had encouraged him, but he wasn’t sure why he would agree to take part in a reality show where he would be alone with people that he didn’t know.

 

*******

 

Nico woke up to the sun streaming through his window, he’d worked so many double shifts in a row that he almost forgot that today was the day he had to go for his audition at the production office for _Secrets & Lies_. He got dressed quickly, a white shirt with black jeans, and he decided that it would be easier to walk at this time, rather than get stuck in the rush hour traffic.

******

Charles drove Paul to the production office. He was nervous, his leg jiggling as they got nearer. Paul still wasn’t sure why he agreed to take part, but it was too late to back out, and maybe it would be a good experience for him. He did feel like he was stuck in the same routine lately.

Paul strolled into the building, the cool air conditioning was a relief after the humid air outside. A man led him to a small waiting room, and he saw that there were a few other people here for the auditions. There was only one free seat, and he sat down next to a guy who was a similar height to him. He smiled at the guy, taking in his kind smile, and he had the most amazing hair that he had ever seen.

“Hi, I’m Paul.” He put out his hand to shake and the man took it.

“I’m Nico.” His smile got bigger as he blushed, and Paul was glad that he wasn’t the only shy one here, although he wasn’t sure if everyone was waiting for the auditions for the same show.

“So, are you here for _Secrets & Lies_?” Paul asked, secretly hoping that he would be trying out for the same show.

“Yes. I’m not really sure what to expect,” said Nico, and Paul nodded, he felt the same. They chatted a little about their day jobs, and they both seemed to get on well.

A man in his early fifties, entered the room, and everyone went quiet. It was clear that he was in charge, and he introduced himself as Otmar. He had a soft American accent, and a friendly smile.

“So, as you can see,” Otmar said, waving his hand around the room, “We have ten finalists and there are only three available places.” He looked down at a clipboard before continuing. “We will call you one by one, so that we can get to know you a little better. Then we will make our choices and call you next week, to let you know if you’re in or not.”

Paul and Nico were the last ones to be called in for their audition. While they were waiting, they got to know each other a bit better, and by the time Nico’s name was called, Paul wished that he’d got his number. Even if they weren’t picked for the show, it would be nice to have a few more friends in the city.

Otmar came out for Paul, and he was a little sad that he didn’t get to see Nico again, there must have been another way out. The audition wasn’t too long, barely fifteen minutes, and when Paul went to leave, he saw that Nico was waiting for him by the main door.

“So, why do you want to be a part of this game?” Nico asked, Paul following him as he set off in the opposite direction to his flat.

“A friend entered me for a laugh. I’m not even sure that I want to do it, but I guess the decision is out of my hands now.” Paul laughed, now that he’d met Nico he knew that he’d have to thank Charles for doing this to him. “And you?”

“To make my life more exciting.” Nico smiled, his teeth all on display as he fidgeted with his glasses. “This is my block,” Nico said, and Paul nodded. He headed back across the road, waving goodbye as Nico disappeared into the building.

 

******

 

Two days later, Nico and Paul received the same message.

 _You have been selected to take part in this series of_ Secrets & Lies _. Please read the attached information for details._

Nico was happy about it, and he hoped that Paul would be selected too, it would be nice to have someone he already knew in the house with him.

Paul was anxious about it all, now that he had actually been chosen he started to wonder if it was too late to back out, but Charles was there to reassure him, and now, he was helping Paul to pack up his things. He had to take everything that he needed for ten weeks inside the house, and he wasn’t sure what he would miss.

Charles drove him, and the nearer they got to the production office, the more nervous Paul got. Paul said goodbye to Charles, his legs felt shaky and he wasn’t sure if he would make it as far as the main entrance, but then he saw a familiar face strolling in. Once he was inside, he saw the man that he met at the auditions, and the man smiled when he saw him.

“Paul? I’m happy that you have been selected too,” Nico said, hugging Paul.

“Yes, it’s good to see you again… I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten your name,” Paul said, blushing as he stared at his feet, he hadn’t expected the man to remember him.

“I’m Nico.” He smiled and Paul felt all of his worries fade away. It was going to be fun, work had been kind enough to let him take a sabbatical, although they’d all joked that he’d be back long before the ten weeks were up, and he was now determined to prove them wrong.

A blonde woman asked them to follow her, her heels clicking on the hard floor as she sped down the corridor, and she led them to the same waiting room as the one they waited for the auditions in. They were chatting away when Otmar came out to get them, ushering them into the office so that he could speak to them.

Otmar leant back in his chair, a curious smile on his face and Paul felt his nerves return. “You’ve been selected to participate in the show, and we’ve left it up to the public to choose what your secret will be. You will find out just before you enter the house.”

Paul fidgeted in his seat, his brow furrowed, and Otmar said, “Now’s the time to say if you don’t want to do it.”

“I’m ready,” Nico said, smiling as he looked at Paul.

Paul took a deep breath, and he bit his lip before saying, “Let’s do this.”

 

******

 

The journey to the house didn’t take long, they were taken in a fancy looking car, with blacked out windows in the rear so that Nico and Paul couldn’t see where they were going. It all added to the excitement, and Nico kept glancing at him with a smile on his face, like a puppy that was getting to go to the park.

Once they were at the house they were led to a small room that had a camera in it, and a large comfy chair sat in front of it.

It was time for them to know what their secret would be. Paul was nervous, he could feel his palms sweating and his heart was beating so fast that he thought might faint, it was the first time that he would be watched by thousands people all around the country, and the fact that he still didn’t know what his secret would be added to the stress of it.

When he looked at Nico he couldn’t tell if he was nervous or not, he was just adjusting his hair in the mirror that was placed off camera, even though Paul thought that his hair was perfect already.

The assistant motioned for them both to sit in the seat, it was time for them to find out what their secret would be. There was just space for them both in the large seat, the leather creaking as Nico made himself comfy. Paul found it difficult to breathe, and the longer he had to wait before knowing his secret was killing him.

Nico rested his arm around Paul’s shoulder, glancing at him with a look of concern, and Paul took a deep breath, steadying himself for the revelation.

A loud voice boomed out of the speakers, so deep and commanding, and Paul felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

“The public chose both of you to enter the house. They decided what your secret would be.” There was an ominous pause, only the crackle of the speakers could be heard, and Paul held his breath. “Your secret is that you are a fake couple. You have a few minutes to get to know each other better, and then, you will go into the house, and you will have to try and persuade the other housemates that you have been a couple for three years, and that you got engaged two months ago.”

“What the…?” Nico looked at Paul, and for the first time since they’d arrived at the production office earlier that day, he didn’t have a smile on his face.

The voice spoke again. “On the table there is an engagement ring, it is up to you who wears it.”

Nico hadn’t noticed the ring sitting on the small table in front of them until now, but it glinted in the light and he reached out for it, seeing if it would fit on his ring finger. “It’s a perfect fit,” Nico said, grinning as he admired it.

It was a split second decision in the end, Paul knew that he had ten thousand reasons to go ahead with it, but there was only one thing on his mind.

“We’ll have to practice kissing,” Paul said, blushing. He could see the confusion on Nico’s face, and he felt conflicted. Paul bit his lip, a nervous reflex, but Nico reached out to stroke the side of his face.

“Do you want to try now?” Nico’s big blue eyes were staring at him and Paul tried to speak but no words came out.

Paul blinked, and then he felt warm lips on his, a spark of electricity surged through his body as he sat frozen, all the people watching at home on their TVs long forgotten about. He let Nico take control, and then he felt Nico’s tongue teasing at his lips as his hands wandered lower. Paul let out a little moan, and Nico broke the kiss. “Sorry, is the tongue too much?”

“Erm…” Paul still couldn’t form whole sentences, and worse still his cock was getting hard. He squirmed in his seat, it was so awkward because he was on TV and he didn’t know how to hide it, he just hoped that it was out of shot on the screen.

“Breathe, and relax,” Nico whispered to him, “At least we’re definitely going to look like a real couple,” Nico joked, and Paul smiled at him.

The voice told them to go and wait by the door, and Nico stood up first, allowing Paul to follow him just in case there were any hidden cameras in the room.

The door opened so slowly that Paul was starting to feel like time was coming to a standstill, but then they were told to go and meet the other contestants, who were waiting them in the garden. Nico took Paul’s hand, intertwining their fingers, to make sure that everyone believed that they were really a couple, and then, both had to do the hard work of introducing themselves to everyone while trying to remember their names.

A young guy called Dany spent the afternoon telling them all about himself, his deep voice a stark contrast to his boyish face and slender frame, but Paul was relieved that no-one asked them any questions about their relationship.

That night, for the first time in a long time, Paul had to share a bed with someone, and it was made stranger still by the fact that he barely knew Nico. He tried to make it seem natural, curling up on his side at the edge of the bed, so that there was space for Nico to lie out without being forced to make contact with him if he didn’t want to.

Nico stripped down until he was wearing just his boxers, which was what he slept in when he was at home, but the sight of Nico like that had Paul taking deep breaths as he reminded himself that all of this was just for show, and he hoped that his cock would get the message before Nico got into bed with him.

While he was drifting off to sleep, Nico kissed him on the cheek, whispering good night, leaving Paul with a smile on his face.

The next morning Paul woke up, and he was surprised to feel Nico’s arms surrounding him. He was resting on Nico’s chest, and he started to panic, trying to gently wiggle free. But Nico only held him tighter, and they both cuddled together as though they were a real couple. Paul was living his dream, waking up in the arms of someone who loved him, comfortable in his embrace as he felt his breath on his skin.

But then he remembered that Nico wasn’t his boyfriend, but he didn’t move, he was just happy to have someone to cuddle up with, he had missed the affection that came with a relationship. He felt Nico stir, reaching out for his glasses, and Paul froze, wondering if he had woken him.

“How was your first night with me? I hope I didn’t wriggle too much,” Nico whispered, kissing Paul’s forehead as he moved in close to Paul, not wanting anyone else to hear their conversation.

“It was good, weird, but good. Did you sleep well?” Paul blushed, and he hoped that Nico wouldn’t notice.

“I did, it’s been a while since I slept that well,” Nico said, stretching out as he yawned, showing off all his nicely toned muscles.

“Can I ask you a question?” Paul whispered, his voice so low that Nico had to press his ear to his lips.

“Sure.” Nico smiled, and Paul felt like he could ask Nico anything.

Paul glanced around, he didn’t want to be heard by any of the other people in the house. “Are you gay? Or bi?”

“I would have thought that after our kiss yesterday you would already know the answer to that.” Nico’s smile faded as his brow wrinkled. “I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable?”

“So you’re into guys?” Paul tried to keep a smile off his face but in the end he just buried his face against Nico’s shoulder, hiding the blush on his cheeks.

“Yes, and you?” Nico’s breath was warm on his neck and Paul felt a shiver run down his spine.

“I’m bi. I was in a long-term relationship with a woman, but it didn’t end well… And since then I haven’t really met anyone.”

“Oh, I hope I didn’t embarrass you yesterday.” Nico laughed, hoping that it would break the tension.

“You’re the first guy that I’ve ever kissed,” Paul said, not sure why he was telling Nico, and he felt his cheeks burn.

“I’m glad I could be your first,” Nico whispered, and Paul felt his cock twitch at the way he said it.

There was a beeping sound, and Paul let out a little groan, he would be happy just to spend all day in bed with Nico, but that didn’t make for good TV.

“We should go get breakfast. Would you make me some toast while I get a shower?” Nico asked, his voice louder than it needed to be considering that Paul was lying right next to him, before leaning in to kiss Paul again, on the lips this time, just in case anyone was watching them.

“Of course, my love.” Paul smiled, prising himself away from Nico before heading to the kitchen.

Paul wasn’t alone while he was preparing breakfast for him and Nico, Dany was already in the kitchen making himself the strongest cup of coffee Paul had ever seen anyone make. He waited until Dany took the first sip before asking him how he slept, and after a few minutes of small talk, Nico joined Paul, his dressing gown wrapped around him as his wet locks dripped beads of water down his neck.

Nico strolled up for another kiss, his hand automatically reaching out for Paul’s as he took a bit of toast, letting out a little groan as he took the first bite.

“So how did you two meet?” Dany asked, leaning against the counter before taking another sip of his coffee.

“Well, it’s a funny story. I was sitting in a coffee shop, trying to finish my lesson plans when my computer crashed.” Paul smiled, looking at Nico with what he hoped were loving eyes as he gave himself some time to think of the rest of the story, but luckily Nico spoke first.

“And I was sitting at the table next to him when I saw the blue screen of death, so I offered to help fix it.” Nico reached out to wrap his hand around Paul’s waist, pulling him closer until he felt Paul relax.

“I offered to take him to dinner to say thank you, and it was such a nice evening that we ended up going for a walk after the meal. We had our first kiss under the stars.” Paul felt tears welling up in his eyes, and he realised that he’d been missing all of the little things that he enjoyed about being in a relationship.

“It was the most beautiful night of my life. Well the second most beautiful,” said Nico, leaning in for a kiss as Paul wondered what it would be like to have all of that, for real.

“Why second?” Dany raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for all the juicy details as he drank his coffee, looking more human with every sip.

“Because just a few months ago, he asked me to marry him.” Nico held Paul tight, flashing the fake engagement ring, it looked so right on his finger, and Paul found himself enjoying playing the role of fiancé.

“I planned it all for weeks. I took Nico to his favourite restaurant, and then I got the chef to put the ring on top of the chocolate cake.” Paul smiled, batting his eyelashes at Nico as he snuggled in under his arm, kissing away the stray crumbs that his toast had left.

“I love cake so much that I nearly ate the ring!” Nico laughed, it was something that he would do. “But then Paul stopped me, dropping to one knee on the floor as everyone in the restaurant turned to look at us.”

“It was the happiest day of my life when you said yes.” Paul went in for a kiss, more passionate than the little pecks that they had been using in public so far. He felt a tear run down his cheek, and only he knew that it wasn’t caused by happiness, but the feeling that he might never know happiness like that.

“Aww, that is so romantic,” Dany said, he looked so happy for them, it was an adorable story. It was just a pity that none of it was true. Paul felt Nico kiss away his tear, which had Dany making more cute noises at them.

“That’s what I love about him,” Nico said, staring at Paul with love in his eyes and for a split second, Paul could almost believe that it was true, that Nico loved him. But he was sure that he had ten thousand reasons to make sure that he put on a good show, and he’d already seen Nico’s competitive side during a card game, so for that sort of money, he was sure that Nico would do almost anything to win.

After breakfast, Nico and Paul went back to their room, they had some free time before they got their rules for the day. From what Nico had seen of previous series it was always something silly that would make for an entertaining show, but difficult enough that if they didn’t manage it they would lose some of their prize money, and Nico wasn’t here for anything less than the ten thousand euros that he’d joined the house with.

“I’m sorry for this morning, I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Nico whispered, he didn’t want anyone else in the house to overhear them.

“It was so romantic,” Paul said, his lips only millimetres from Nico’s ear. “At least we have Dany believing us now.” Paul let out a little laugh and Nico held him close, the scent of coffee on his breath mingling with the mint from his shower gel.

“I’m a sucker for romantic things, but I just haven’t found the right person to share it all with yet.” Nico wasn’t sure why he was telling Paul everything, but there was something about having to whisper everything to each other that made him feel like he could say anything.

“You will find them, and then you will both realise how lucky you are.” Paul stroked Nico’s back, pulling them closer together as he felt Nico relax under his touch.

“I hope so, I want something more than just sex. I want lazy kisses on the sofa, and watching the sunset together, and kissing under the stars.”

 _I want that too_ , Paul thought, but he couldn’t quite get the words out. He felt like if he said it out loud, it would make it more difficult to pretend to himself that he was in this just for the money.

Nico let out a little laugh, and then the bell rang. It was time for them to go and find out what their rules were for today.

 

*******

 

During the first week, they fell into a nice routine, lazy kisses in the morning as they woke up, and they made sure that the other contestants saw them kissing at every opportunity. It was nice to wake up with someone cuddled up next to him in bed, and more and more often, Paul woke up in Nico’s arms.

They did everything together, even sharing showers, which had the added benefit that they could talk without any of the other housemates hearing them, and it gave them a little bit of alone time away from the cameras. Thankfully the shower was big enough for the two of them to get washed in without too much embarrassment, although Paul had to focus so that he didn’t end up staring at Nico’s sizable cock.

It all felt so comfortable, that Paul found the thought of having to leave Nico at the end of the game unbearable. He’d been trying not to think about it, but with the vote to see who would be nominated to leave the house this week drawing closer, it was hard to put out of his mind.

There was to be a party tonight, and Nico had easily settled into to the house, getting to know all of the other contestants. Paul hadn’t found it so easy, considering his job, he still found socialising with people he didn’t know a bit stressful at first, and he was glad to have Nico by his side. He felt like he could do anything with Nico supporting him.

The party had involved drinking games, and the more that Paul had to drink, the harder it was to remember what he had told the other contestants about his relationship with Nico. But on the plus side it made it a lot easier for him to be affectionate in public with Nico, and he’d ended up straddling Nico’s lap on the sofa, noisily making out, not caring that he had an audience after Dany had made him drink many shots of vodka.

Paul had no idea that Dany had an ulterior motive.

 

******

 

Another week passed, and they were sitting around in the kitchen eating dinner when a buzzer went off. Paul looked at Nico with confusion, and they saw Dany emerge from the confession room at the back of the house.

So far that room had only been used for them to give their thoughts on what had happened in the house each day, but there was another use for it. If a contestant thought that they had discovered another player’s secret, they could buzz.

The buzzing noise stopped, but the speakers still crackled, and they waited for the voice to speak. “Contestants, if you can make your way to the living room please.”

They all shuffled through to the living room, and Paul held Nico’s hand tight. He felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he hoped that it wasn’t their secret that Dany had uncovered. Paul didn’t want to stop pretending, it had all felt so easy, that he was even fooling himself with their lie.

Dany was sat in the centre of the room, grin on his face as he glanced around at the other contestants, but when he saw Nico and Paul, his grin got even wider, and Nico felt his heart race.

“Dany thinks that he has uncovered one of your secrets.” The voice boomed around the house, and combined with the adrenaline surging through Paul’s veins, it sounded even more ominous than usual.

“If he is right, he will win all of the liars’ prize money.” The voice let out an evil cackle, and Paul squirmed in his seat, gripping Nico’s hand so tight that his knuckles were white.

“But if he’s wrong, he will lose five thousand euros to the player, or players, that he has falsely accused of being liars.”

There was silence in the room, everyone trying to work out if it was their prize money that was in danger, but the way that the voice had said players left no doubt in Paul’s mind as to whose secret was getting exposed tonight.

“Dany, are you ready to reveal the secret that you think you have uncovered?”

Dany’s grin was so big that all his teeth were on display, Paul could see him mentally working out what he was going to do with thirty thousand euros.

“Yes.” Dany’s eyes were locked on Paul and Nico, he bit his lip as he paused for dramatic effect. A TV producer somewhere was loving every second, but to Paul it was torture.

“I don’t think that Nico and Paul are a real couple. I think they’re faking it.” Dany leant back in his seat, he looked so proud of himself.

Paul felt his whole world fall apart in a matter of seconds, not because he’d lost ten thousand euros, that was never really his to begin with, but because he’d lost his relationship with Nico, and it felt as bad as any real break up. He took a deep breath to choke back the tears, he didn’t want Nico to see that he was taking it all much more seriously than he was.

Nico went in for a kiss, his tongue roaming as he tried to convince the others that Dany was wrong. There were a few murmurs from the other contestants, and Paul let Nico’s soft lips kiss all his worries away, he only had to pretend for a little while longer. They just had to make it until bedtime, and that would be enough to convince most of the other players.

“If you’re really a couple prove it,” Dany said, and Nico flashed his engagement ring.

“Is that enough proof?” Nico said, grin on his face as he braced himself for battle. He was sure that he could make the others believe him, but he wasn’t so sure about Dany.

“It’s just a ring, anyone can buy one.” Dany shrugged, and Paul was relieved that Nico was much more rational about the game. He wasn’t letting his emotions get in the way, if he had any feelings that was. “When is Paul’s birthday?”

“April sixteenth.” Nico relaxed into his seat, if this was the best Dany could do then the money was his, fifteen thousand euros just for sitting around a house for a few weeks.

“Where did you meet?”

Nico retold the whole story of how they met, and the proposal, which had a few people making cute noises in approval. Paul felt calmer after that, with others on their side they had a better chance of protecting their secret.

“What’s his ex-girlfriend’s name?” Dany asked, grin on his face, and Nico turned to look at Paul.

Paul had told Dany about her at the party, but he’d told Nico very little about Laura, referring to her only as his ex. He had deliberately not talked about her so that Nico wouldn’t think that he was still hung up on her, which he wasn’t.

Dany arched his fingers, he looked like an evil genius, proud that his plan for world domination was complete. “Given that Paul only broke up with her a year ago, you’d think that you would remember the name of the woman he cheated on you with.”

Everyone in the room gasped, and Dany smiled. It was game over.

Paul dimly remembered telling Dany about when they broke up, and Dany had asked if Nico knew about her, to which he’d said yes, not realising that Dany would put it all together. It had been hard to keep all his lies straight after a few drinks. He’d felt so much like he was dating Nico for the last two weeks that he’d forgotten about the fact that they were meant to have been together for three years.

“I’m sorry,” Paul said, rushing out of the room so that he couldn’t see the disappointment on Nico’s face. He knew how much he wanted to win, not just because he was competitive, but because he had a plan for that money.

Paul had to listen to everything that the voice said, there was no escape from it. Dany was given all of their prize money, which meant that Nico and he had nothing. They could still do activities to earn some of it back, but the rouse was over, everyone knew that they weren’t a couple, and that was what hurt the most.

He didn’t expect to see Nico, but once all the fuss was over, Nico came through to the bedroom. Paul thought about pretending to be asleep, but it was no use, he just wanted a hug from Nico.

“That’s a bit annoying,” Nico said, sitting down on the bed, “But we can win it back. How hard can it be to guess Dany’s secret?”

Paul breathed a sigh of relief, and he rolled over so that he could see Nico. “I’m so sorry.”

Nico glanced down at his hands, the engagement ring now gone, a stark reminder of how much they had lost. “We gave it a really good shot, and we’ve got plenty of time to build up our prize money again.”

Paul felt calmer, and when Nico climbed into bed with him, he felt like they could have a shot at an actual relationship.

“And as if we haven’t been punished enough, we still have to share a bed.” Nico rolled his eyes and Paul felt his heart break, Nico had been such a good actor that he’d made Paul fall in love with him by accident.

 

*******

 

Another week passed, and unfortunately for Paul and Nico, it started in the worst possible way. The other candidates voted for Paul and Nico to leave the house, now that their secret was out they were no use to the other contestants.

Paul was hoping that he would be the one to leave. He didn’t think he would want to stay in the house without Nico. Nico was the only good thing in the house, and without him, he would feel completely lost.

He wanted to say it was for the best, that maybe not having to see Nico everyday would lessen the pain of his broken heart, but he was grateful for every minute that he got with Nico, even if he only wanted to be friends.

It was the longest week, waiting to see what the public had decided. Paul was doing everything in his power to help Nico win as many of the activities as possible, so that at least if Nico was voted out he would have something to show for it.

By the time the results were in, Nico had seven thousand euros in prize money, and although it wasn’t quite the ten thousand that he entered the house with, it would be enough for him to follow his dream of going to university.

Paul prayed to a god that he didn’t believe in, hoping that he would be the one eliminated, as the voice told them that, “The public have decided who should go.”

“Goodbye… Nico.”

Paul couldn’t even look at him, he was the one who wanted to stay, and yet the public had decided to get rid of him. It was so fickle.

“Promise me that you’ll win this,” Nico said, and he gave Paul a quick hug as he headed towards the bedroom. He had an hour to pack his things, and be waiting at the main door to leave the house.

Nico said goodbye to everyone, even Dany. Paul knew that if Nico had been in the same situation he’d have done exactly what Dany did, the prize money was all that mattered.

Paul was the last person that Nico said goodbye to, and Paul could have sworn that he saw tears bubbling up in his eyes, but he wasn’t sure if it was just a trick of the light. Nico held him tight, and Paul took a deep breath, fighting back the tears.

“I’ll miss you,” Paul said, his voice sounded shaky and he couldn’t bear to look at Nico, he didn’t want him to see how deep his feelings for him ran.

“I’ll be waiting for you when you get out.” Nico winked at him and Paul looked at him with his mouth hanging open. Did that mean that Nico had feelings for him? Or did he just mean it as a friend?

He was going to have a long wait to find out. Nico disappeared off through the doors, heading back to his normal life, leaving the rest of them sealed in this mad house.

Paul went to bed, it felt so empty without Nico by his side, and he felt tears run down his cheeks. He should have just told Nico how he felt, but now it was too late.

 

******

 

The next day, Paul couldn’t bear to get out of bed, but that didn’t stop Dany wandering in and sitting down on the edge of the bed next to him.

“You’re completely in love with Nico, aren’t you?” Dany asked, resting his hand on Paul’s shoulder.

He wasn’t sure why Dany was being nice to him, but of all the other contestants, Dany was the only one he was close to, and he needed someone to talk to. “Yes, but I don’t know what to do now. I don’t know if he feels the same.”

“The way Nico looks at you, it’s clear that he’s in love with you too,” Dany said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“I wish I’d never signed up for this, I just want to go home.” Paul was aware that he sounded like he was a kid again, but he didn’t care about the prize money, and he wasn’t interested in the temporary fame that came with being on the show. He just wanted Nico.

“I think I can make that happen,” Dany said, grin on his face as he leant in to whisper something to Paul.

The whole country would watch that moment over and over again, everyone wondering what Dany had said to Paul. It had their attention for twenty-four hours, but by tomorrow it would fade out of the public consciousness, replaced by the next scandal in the house.

 

*******

 

Paul had spent the whole week moping about the house. The other housemates all voted that Paul should be nominated to leave the house, they were sick of him sleeping all day and doing nothing. Nico was increasingly worried about him, and by the end of the week they weren’t even showing him on TV, choosing to focus on the other more interesting people in the house.

By the time the public vote had been closed, Nico was terrified what state he would find Paul in when he went to collect him from the house.

It was no surprise that Paul had been voted off, and Nico felt conflicted, he was happy that he was going to get to see Paul again, but he had never meant for him to suffer.

Nico had kept busy with work, and applying for his course, but waking up alone in bed was harder than he thought, and he felt strange without the ring on his finger. It had been comforting to have a symbol of their love, even if it was just for show, Nico had felt like they had something more. He felt like they had a chance at a real relationship.

 

******

 

Paul said goodbye to Dany, none of the others were going to miss him, which was probably for the best.

“Thank you,” Paul said, hugging Dany as he waited for the doors to open, so that he could return to his nice quiet life.

“I told you the public don’t like people who mope.” Dany laughed, he had studied all the previous seasons of the show, he wasn’t going to accept anything less than being the winner.

“I’ll see you on the other side.” Paul smiled as he got to walk out the door, the smell of fresh air felt so much better because he was free. Free of the cameras, free of their silly rules, and free to go and find Nico.

He didn’t have to wait long, after all the interviews were done, he strolled out to see Nico standing by the main door of the production office, grin on his face as he dragged his eyes over Paul.

“I’ve missed you,” Nico said, holding his arms out so that he could drag Paul into a big hug.

“I’ve missed you too.” Paul cuddled in to Nico’s shoulder, feeling all the stress of the last three weeks melt away as he wrapped himself up in Nico’s scent.

“I was worried about you.” Nico stepped back so that he could look into Paul’s eyes, and Paul saw nothing but love and affection shining out.

Paul laughed, shaking his head. “How about I tell you everything over dinner?”

“Sounds perfect.” Nico led the way to his flat, Paul had told him all about his roommate, and as selfish as it sounded, he wanted Paul all to himself for an evening.

He carried Paul’s bag through to the bedroom, he wasn’t presuming, it was only a one bedroom flat, and if Paul wanted to sleep alone, he would sleep on the sofa. But he was hoping that he wouldn’t have to sleep alone.

“Welcome back to reality.” Nico sat down next to Paul on the sofa, handing him a beer as he leant in to kiss him on the cheek. “I’ve ordered pizza, I hope that’s okay.”

Paul nodded, in their attempt to prove that they were a real couple they’d learnt each other’s favourite things, including favourite pizza toppings. He took a swig of the beer, and he went to speak at the same time as Nico had the same idea.

“You go first,” Paul said, blush on his cheeks as he hoped that Nico would say the words that he had been waiting to hear.

“No, you.” Nico laughed, and it broke the tension.

“When I first met you I thought that you were nice bu-”

“Just nice?” Nico put on a fake pout, and Paul smiled, reaching out to hold Nico’s hand.

“I thought you were kind, and funny, and cute.” Paul stroked the side of Nico’s hand with his thumb, it felt so right having him close. “And then every day that we were in the house together I fell a little bit deeper in love with you.”

Nico stared at Paul, and he wondered if he’d scared Nico off. There was a knock on the door and they both jumped, before laughing, and Nico went to pay for the pizza. The smell of warm bread and melted cheese filled the flat, but Nico left the boxes unopened as he sat back down on the sofa.

“I love you too.” Nico shuffled closer, their lips only millimetres away from each other. “The second that we kissed, I knew that I was in love with you.”

Paul leant in for a kiss, eating up on the gasps and moans that fell from Nico’s moist lips. They kissed until they were breathless, and Paul knew that he should feel honoured that Nico would choose him over food. It was true love.

He ate quickly, the food was nice, but all Paul could think about was how good it would feel to have Nico make love to him. Paul could tell that Nico was thinking the same thing, all the little glances sent sparks through his body, and when the last slice of pizza was gone, there was no need for words, Nico’s eyes darted to the bedroom, and he led him to the bed.

Nico stood at the end of the bed, staring at Paul before he went in for a kiss. His hands worked their way under Paul’s shirt, seeking out his nipples so that he could play with them. Paul let out a groan, muffled by Nico’s mouth and they broke the kiss to take off their shirts.

Nico grinned before pushing Paul back onto the bed. He slid off Paul’s jeans, revealing his hard cock as he slowly stripped off all his clothes, teasing Paul with every button, inching his zip down until he was standing naked in front of Paul.

Paul’s mouth was hanging open at the size of Nico’s cock, he’d never seen it when it was aroused before, and the sight of it made him feel dizzy.

“Nervous?” Nico asked, giving himself a few strokes as he saw Paul’s eyes go wide.

“A little. It’s the first time that I’ve ever done anything like this.” Paul bit his lip, but he trusted Nico to make him feel good. “Be gentle with me?”

“Always, my love,” Nico said. He went in for one last kiss, straddling Paul as his hands teased at his thighs. Nico trailed kisses down Paul’s chest, pausing to lick at his nipples as Paul’s cock left a trail of pre-come on his abs.

Paul gasped as Nico’s soft blond hair tickled at his balls, he felt Nico’s moist tongue circling his hole, and he had to put his hands over his mouth to be make sure that none of Nico’s neighbours could hear them.

He felt the bed dip, and then he heard the click of a cap, and there was the sound of liquid squirting out. Paul opened his eyes, watching as Nico slicked up his fingers, before pressing them to his hole, teasing him without pushing in.

“Oh god, Nico, that feels so good.” Paul arched his hips, his body begging for more but Nico was patient, waiting until Paul was on the brink before sliding his fingers in. Paul cried out in pleasure, Nico’s talented fingers found the right spot, but he moved away after a second, Nico wanted to make sure that Paul didn’t come too soon.

“More, Nico, please,” Paul begged, and Nico slid a second finger in, letting Paul feel the stretch as he worked him open.

Paul was gasping as Nico pressed a fourth finger into him, he felt so fucked already and he knew that Nico’s cock would feel even better.

“Fuck me, fuck me now.” The frustration was clear in Paul’s voice, and Nico flew into action, sliding his fingers out as Paul’s slick hole quivered, waiting to be filled. He rolled the condom on before spreading more lube over his massive cock, and he lined up with Paul’s hole, waiting for him to open his eyes before slowly thrusting in to him.

Paul gasped as the tip pushed through, it felt huge and he wasn’t sure if he could take all of Nico. He felt his body being stretched to its very limits, leaving him on the brink of orgasm, and just when he thought he could take no more, he felt Nico’s balls pressing against him. Feeling Nico deep inside him was orgasmic, with every breath he took he could feel Nico filling him, twitching in anticipation and sending shivers through his body.

Nico started to thrust slowly, making sure that he hit the right spot so that Paul would feel nothing but pleasure. Paul spread his legs wider, willing Nico deeper as his cock stood proud over his abs. He wrapped his legs around Nico’s waist, getting more impatient as he felt his climax build.

The sight of Nico towering over him was beautiful, pounding into him as he grunted, his moans getting more pained as he got closer to his orgasm. Nico reached down to stroke his cock, he wanted them to come at the same time.

Nico made sure that his stokes matched each thrust, timing it perfectly. Paul scrunched his eyes shut, overwhelmed by the force of his orgasm and he clenched around Nico, pushing him over the edge as he came, his thick cock prolonging Paul’s orgasm until he was limp on the bed, gasping for air as his body twitched.

Paul felt Nico slump down on top of him, and the weight of his body felt comforting, his breathing ragged as he kissed at the side of Paul’s face.

“Feel good?” Nico asked, but Paul didn’t answer, he was still hazy from his orgasm, and when Nico sat up, he could see that Paul had tears in his eyes. “Did I hurt you? Are you okay?”

“No. Yes,” Paul said, his voice was barely a whisper and Nico stroked the side of his face until he opened his eyes. “That was the most amazing orgasm that I’ve ever had.”

“Good.” Nico leant in for a kiss, soft and comforting as he withdrew, leaving Paul feeling empty and vulnerable. Nico took Paul in his arms, carrying him through to the bathroom and sitting him on the floor while the bath ran.

The warm water was bliss on his sensitive skin, and his head was resting on Nico’s shoulder, his long arms wrapped around him as he whispered how much he loved him.

That night they curled up in each other’s arms, but it felt different now, knowing that Nico loved him too had made it feel real, and reality was a lot better than fiction.

**Author's Note:**

> of course nothing really happened, and a huge thanks to f1_rabbit to make this fic so much better!


End file.
